NATCHEZ — A Brookhaven man was sentenced to eight years Monday after pleading guilty to manslaughter stemming from a 2015 vehicle crash in Franklin County that killed a 16-year-old girl.

Scotty Ardell Cater, 31, entered a guilty plea to culpable negligence manslaughter Monday in Sixth Judicial District Judge Forrest “Al” Johnson’s court in Natchez.

Cater was charged following a crash May 18, 2015, on U.S. 98 that killed Cheyenne Kinnaird of Franklin County.

Cater was speeding when he attempted to pass a vehicle on a double-yellow line while traveling up a hill that had a curve at the top of it, District Attorney Ronnie Harper said.

At the time of the crash, Mississippi Highway Patrol reported that Cater, who was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado, collided head-on with Kinnaird, who was traveling with her brother, in a Nissan Altima.

Kinnaird was pronounced dead at the scene, and her brother, Brian “Cole” Kinnaird, was injured. Cater was also injured.

Harper said that Cater initially attempted to mount a defense based on his mental health, but was found competent to stand trial following a mental health evaluation.

Johnson sentenced Cater Monday to eight years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with the last three years of the sentence to be served on post-release supervision, Harper said.

The Sixth Judicial District covers Adams, Amite, Franklin and Jefferson counties.

While Johnson is serving his current court term in Adams County, he permitted Cater to enter the plea in Adams County Circuit Court instead of waiting until the next term in Franklin County. Harper said the next Franklin County term likely would not be until after the first of the year.

Following his sentencing, Johnson was taken into custody by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office to await transportation to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Cater is listed in the Adams County Jail system as having a Natchez address on Kingston Road. Other court records list a Brookhaven address.